Tuesday

Turning the idea in my head to reality!

So you know that I love logo, design, branding, marketing... all of it. I LOVE IT! You also know from business week that I know a little bit about this stuff and since I'm supposed to know a little about this stuff, you may have thought to yourself, 'girl you brake all your own rules - are you really not seeing that?!*&^#%$?!' And it's true I do but there was this nagging reason that has been driving me bonkers.

Have you ever had in your head what you wanted but you just couldn't get what was in your mind to match with what you had to work with? This happened to me a lot in Elementary school. I'd be given a piece of clean white paper, a brush and fresh paints with the freedom to create what ever my heart desired. Only what my heart desired was something similar to 'water lily pond' by Monet but what my hands were capable of was a big messy puddle of brown in the end.

This is a little like how I've been feeling with my entire logo and branding division - not so muddy but certainly not Monet either. I knew what I wanted but couldn't find it. And so I have gone from logo to logo and paper kit to paper kit trying to find what really felt right. Which by the way is a huge branding no no. Learn from me, don't be impulsive, take the time and do it properly from the start! And when in doubt - ALWAYS error on the side of simplicity!

The problem was I kept liking what I was creating or buying so I thought it would work, but then when I began to implement it just wouldn't end up selling my style, images and personality the way I wanted it to. This one to the left I absolutely loved when I bought the paper kit and created the logo but soon I started seeing it's flaws. I knew that I wanted my main color to be YELLOW in tribute to my dad as well as the fact that I'm a very happy person but it also needed to be a muted yellow to show sophistication and style. I also wanted my look to be COMPLETELY different from anyone else out there that I've seen. A direct reflection of ME and nothing else. (I should interject here to please not copy me, I assure you that I plan to make it so big that when people see yours they will just think of me so it really wouldn't be a good idea. ;)

I had literally just tried to describe to Noelle what I was envisioning, "a mix between Anthropology and Gap meets high society". And then I stumbled on it! I saw a book cover and it was almost exactly what I'd been envisioning all along I did a lot of work to track down the designer and found what I needed to create my very own digital paper kit. Now that I finally have what I wanted it's time to go into full branding mayhem! I can't wait. Eeeee!! I have three major areas of focus to start...



1. THE BLOG. I'll try to talk about it here and will definitely show you all the finished products once they are ready but here are some of the big changes I'm making. A whole new blog design! I'm super-duper excited for this and have chosen to go with Pro Photos Blog. Noelle and I did a lot of research on who to use so we'll do a post (and when I say we I mean her ;) on why Pro Photo Blog was the best choice for us.

2. WEBSITE. Next is updating my websites. This has a lot of different parts to it but is getting closer to my final vision.

3. MARKETING KIT. Last is to completely revamp my own marketing kits, packaging and presentation.  Which is going to be sooo much fun when it's all printed and tangible!!

One of the biggest bonuses to getting this all done is to FINALLY have this off my plate and be able to focus energy on other aspects of my business. For example I've been in process of moving over to projection sales (only I don't call it that!) for the last month or two and once this is all done I'll really be able to fine tune that experience for my clients. Yes. I will be doing a full post about Projection Sales sort of soon.

When I ran my dads company he was always telling me to, 'touch it once' or in other words take the task and do what ever you have to do till it's complete and filed away and then move on to the next thing. I'm not good at that. I have this habit of letting my ideas take over sanity and allowing dozens of projects to be happening at once so I'm not actually seeming to make measurable progress on any of them, nope - not one stinking project makes any progress! (sigh) Ever do that? I kind of think it's a creative thing at least I feel better labeling it that way. Maybe?

How's your branding and marketing going? I know two gals who are well on their way (Jennifer & Liz)... I'm creating full logo and customized marketing kits, when they are done I'll make sure to show you a little peak! Here's to PRODUCTIVITY!

18 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing all the mayhem that's been going on in your head! I'm a new photographer so while I haven't had the time to try out several different "looks" it was very frustrating to not have any "look" at all. I just had a logo designed that I'm happy with and I'm excited to put it all together in the marketing and branding...I'm looking forward to seeing what all you do with yours! I just recently found your blog and it's been so helpful~

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  2. I just found your blog the other day (I think through Amy Wenzel's blog) and I LOVE it! You are so ridiculously helpful, you have no idea. I'm just starting a photography business and am working on a logo right now (and a website). Thank you, thank you, thank you for being willing to share with us newbies! PS- I ADORE your logo! It is EXACTLY Anthropologie meets Gap, meets high society. It is PERFECT!

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  3. Awesome, Leah! Love what you have decided on. What a relief to have that nailed, huh? Can't wait to see all the beautiful things you make from it! Mine branding is in progress- very interesting how things are really changing as I get down to trying to "nail" my brand. Some unexpected but wonderful tweaks, and I can't wait till it's all complete. Congrats on yours! It's very beautiful, sophisticated and modern!

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  4. Really love your blog which I just found, i think through Paperie...thanks for being honest and sharing your heart! I'm absorbing any and all marketing/branding tips and hope to be proud of my packaging and brand one day!

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  5. It's so exciting to have so many fresh new readers here! I LOVE having you! Thank you for taking the time to say hi! Really appreciate it!!!

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  6. Haha I love the "mix of anthropologie and Gap meet high society". It really does look good :)

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  7. love it! i'm getting SO close to launch, it's killing me. but i want to make sure everything is perfect and oozes "me." so i'm trying to slow myself down a bit.

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  8. i just found your blog. you are awesome. pink puffy heart you!!

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  9. I have new Biz cards coming soon myself. Great work on the site.

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  10. thank you for your blog! you say things that are already floating around in my head :) you are helpful and fun too...if i could meet you, i would hug you! ~a new phoenix photog fan ;)

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  11. Prophoto just came out with an amazing version 3 that looks hands down amazing!

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  12. I love the design! It is very anthro/gap/banana republic.
    I can so relate to this post! I am in the process of trying to brand myself with colors since my logo is bw. I keep thinking I have it and then when I revisit it the next day it just doesn't feel right. I am hoping I will get to the place you have. Would you share the designer you found to make your digital paper kit? Maybe that is the way to go for me.

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  13. YIPPY!! I'm so glad so many of you see my anthropology meets Gap meets High Society! LOL!!

    Thea - I designed all my own paper, however Sassy-Designs.net has great paper packs and she will custom design for you as well!
    And yes, I went with ProPhoto Version 3, as soon as I have time to customize and get it done you'll see a post about it! :)

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  14. These are so so very awesome. I love your new look!

    Can't wait for my computer to get here so I can tackle mine!

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  15. I'm not making great progress with my logo and branding. I keep thinking I'm getting closer only to find myself feeling like I'm back to square one. It feels like such a big decision and the pressure feels high. I mean whatever color or logo I choose, that's it. It's like when I signed up for my Etsy account and the part came where I had to choose my username and the instructions informed to me to choose carefully and wisely because once I'd chosen it I couldn't change it! That's how it feels for the logo and I want to make certain that what I go with I will not ever grow tired of looking at. So now it feels like this cloud that keeps following me everywhere I go. When I'm out at a store I find myself glancing through clothing and seeing if my eye naturally keeps landing on one color more than another. I'll keep working at it though and someday arrive at the perfect thing! (hopefully)

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  16. I also just found your blog recently through Amy Wenzel and am so thrilled. You are a few steps ahead of me in this photography journey so it is nice to see how you are doing things as I prepare to do the same. And I am crazy about your new logo. I LOVE IT! Thanks for all your insight and sharing. You have a new fan in Los Angeles!

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  17. Leah-thanks for the link to sassy designs!

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